Practice Management
Sharp drop in LPC pass rate
Pass rates on the legal practice course have fallen significantly, while the achievement gap between white and ethnic minority students remains large, new research has found.
Boutique firm first to commit to ethical quality mark
A niche London disputes practice has become the first law firm to sign up to the Good Business Charter – an ethical business initiative that supported by both the CBI and TUC.
First indemnity insurance for freelance solicitors launched
An insurance intermediary in the City of London has opened the door to the new breed of freelance solicitors by launching the first indemnity cover for them.
The law “has echoes” of pre #metoo film industry
The law has many of the elements of the film industry that led Harvey Weinstein being tried for multiple sexual offences, it has been claimed.
Family lawyers “disproportionately female and white”
Three-quarters of family lawyers are women, while those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are under-represented, ground-breaking research has indicated.
Standards committee backs AI “regulatory assurance body”
A body that identifies gaps in the regulatory landscape on the use of artificial intelligence and advises individual regulators is needed as the technology develops, the government has been told.
Age discrimination solicitor awarded £13k in damages
An experienced property solicitor who won a claim of age discrimination after being rejected for a job at a law firm, has been awarded damages of £13,200. Nearly half of this was aggravated damages.
Big law firms “under-pricing” work
Large law firms are damaging their profitability by poor scoping of work and under-pricing it, and are also set to penalise lawyers who offer clients overly large discounts, a survey has found.
First apprentice qualifies as chartered legal executive
A paralegal at listed law firm DWF has become the first chartered legal executive to qualify through an apprenticeship, an appropriate landmark for National Apprenticeship Week.
Law firm discriminated against disabled paralegal
A law firm discriminated against a seriously ill paralegal by dismissing him after only three months while he was on sick leave, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Blog
From templates to culture change: Lessons from the SRA on source of funds
The SRA’s new thematic review into source of funds and wealth reveals both progress and persistent blind spots, with source-of-funds checks too often thought of as a procedural hurdle.
Change in regulator shouldn’t make AML less of a priority
While SRA fines for AML have been climbing, many in the profession aren’t confident they will get any relief from the FCA, a body used to dealing with a highly regulated industry.
There are 17 million wills waiting to be written
The main reason cited by people who do not have a will was a lack of awareness as to how to arrange one. As a professional community, we seem to be failing to get our message across.
